New teacher assessment necessary


There’s a mini war going on in Los Angeles. On one side of a lawsuit are five parents backed by an advocacy group, who are suing Los Angeles Unified School District for not following a 40-year-old state law that requires student performance data be linked to teacher evaluations. On the other side is LAUSD and […]

Increased surveillance sign of extreme paranoia


In Oakland, Calif., big brother is watching. Police officers in certain cities around the country are now allowed to wear video cameras the size of pagers on their chests. It seems like a good enough idea; police actions with the public will be subject to monitoring, and evidence can now be provided in the utmost […]

When online, ask questions with caution


Have you ever had a question you didn’t want to voice aloud? I’m not talking about that time you fell asleep in class and had to ask your professor to repeat something obvious. I’m talking about questions that betray personal information; questions that no one in your vicinity could answer; questions that unearth taboos. You […]

Constant construction is integral to progress


To borrow a (slightly modified) phrase from the library of overused sayings: Troy was not built in a day. The endeavor of raising a building does not come without resistance from the forces of gravity, entropy and human error. Therefore, students should consider construction on campus as an improvement rather than an annoyance. This creation […]

Women needed in STEM fields


Women outnumber men at most colleges and universities — something that would have been unimaginable at a not-so distant point in history. But when it comes to the STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and math — women are still critically underrepresented. Though the recent increase of women in fields like biology and medicine indicates […]

Strikes provide needed avenue for expression


More than 700 workers at the Keck Medical Center of USC recently striked, aiming to increase wages and benefits from their current standard, which workers feel is grossly unfair. Caregivers expressed that they were not receiving the same retirement plan and tuition assistance as other hospital nurses and university employees, among other complaints. Striking is […]

Internet on its way to supplant cable TV


Think of an iconic television series. Shows like Seinfeld, Star Trek and I Love Lucy probably come to mind. Now, think of an iconic YouTube video — like that one where a panda sneezes. For some, it’s hard to see YouTube as a source of quality entertainment. Nevertheless, YouTube has a very different vision for […]

USC’s flexible approach to bikes progressive


The walk to class every day is surprisingly tricky. Anyone who has walked on campus knows to be aware of the multitude of wheeled vehicles that weave precariously among pedestrians in a frenzied mesh of near-collisions and last-gasp rushes for the start of class. USC has had a longstanding bike problem, and the few changes […]